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THE POET GRAY AS A NATURALIST 



: 



THE POET GRAY 

AS A NATURALIST 

WITH SELECTIONS FROM HIS NOTES ON 
THE SYSTEMA NATURE OF LINN^US AND 
FACSIMILES OF SOME OF HIS DRAWINGS 

By CHARLES ELIOT NORTON 




CHARLES E. GOODSPEED 
boston: mdcccciii 



Copyright, 1903, by Charles E. Goodspeed 






^(.A \;T ft/--. ,'. '■': -.,X 



D. B. Updike, The Merrymount Press, Boston 



THE POET GRAY 

AS A NATURALIST 

"The unique distinction may be claimed for Gray,'' says Mr. 
Lowell in his delightful essay on the poet, "that he is the 
English poet who has written less and pleased more than any 
other." The slenderness of his poetic product, and several ex- 
pressions in his letters concerning his indolence and his ennui 
from want of occupation have tended to create an impression of 
him as an intellectual idler and voluptuary whose idea of "para- 
disaical pleasures" was to read eternal new romances of Mari- 
vaux and Crebillon, and whose sovereign anodyne was Fasti- 
dium. There could hardly be a more mistaken impression. It is 
true that he wrote no poetry of consequence after he was forty 
years old. The stream of his inspiration, which up to that time 
had been intermittent, but had occasionally gathered head 
enough to set in motion the wheel of expression, after this 
period ceased to flow in the channels of poetry. 

He regretted, his own sluggishness and indisposition to write; 
but the effort to overcome it was beyond his power. In 1758, 
when he was forty- two years old, he wrote to his friend Mason, 
"I cannot brag of my spirits, my situation, my employments, or 
my fertility; the days and the nights pass, and I am never 
nearer to anything but that one to which we are all tending; 

(5) 



THE POET GRAY 

yet I love people that leave some traces of their journey be- 
hind them." And again in the same letter, "If I were to coin 
my whole mind into phrases, they would profit you nothing, 
nor fill a moderate page." Ten years later he wrote to Horace 
Walpole, who had urged him to compose more poetry, "Till 
four-score and ten, whenever the humour takes me, I will write, 
because I like it, and because I like myself better when I do so. 
If I do not write much, it is because I cannot." And to his friend 
Wharton he excused his unproductiveness, saying, "I by no 
means pretend to inspiration, but yet I affirm that the faculty 
in question is by no means voluntary. It is the result, I suppose, 
of a certain disposition of mind which does not depend on one^s 
self, and which I have not felt this long time." 

Thus, with no strong impulse or special motive for expres- 
sion, with no professional occupation and no liking for general 
society. Gray resorted to books and to the study of nature, and 
found in them employment which suited his temperament, af- 
forded to him the mild happiness which turned his occupations 
to pleasures, and soothed his conscience for allowing his rare 
genius to lie fallow. In a letter written in 1757 he says, "To be 
employed is to be happy;" but he adds, "This principle of mine 
(and I am convinced of its truth) has, as usual, no influence on 
my practice. I am alone and enmtye to the last degree, yet do 
nothing." The words are not to be taken literally. Few men, free 

(6) 



AS A NATURALIST 

from the compulsion of necessity or of a profession, have em- 
ployed themselves more steadily. There were not many fields of 
knowledge, with the exception of mathematics and the physical 
sciences, which he did not make his own. He read everything; 
and when his younger friend, the Reverend Norton NichoUs, ex- 
pressed surprise at the extent of his reading, he said, "Why 
should you be surprised, for I do nothing else.?" In reality 
Gray did much more than merely read; his "nothing else" took 
no account of the extraordinary range of copious and elaborate 
annotations which he made on the margins of his books, and in 
which the extent and thoroughness of his learning and the va- 
riety of his intellectual interests were abundantly displayed. Nor 
did it take account of his constant and careful observations of 
nature, and his exact records of them. He kept minute diaries, 
in which he entered daily notes on the weather, and recorded 
the opening of the flowers, the ripening of the harvests, the 
changes in the vegetation of the different seasons, the coming 
and departure of the birds, together with many miscellaneous 
remarks on the objects and aspects of nature. 

We have no full description of his rooms in Pembroke Col- 
lege, but from scattered sentences in his letters it is plain that 
they had a pleasant air, and gave evidence in their arrange- 
ments and furnishings of his many accomplishments and fastidi- 
ous taste. He was fond of music, and well acquainted with its 

(7 ) 



THE POET GRAY 

history and with the works of the great masters. There was a 
harpsichord in his study, and later a forte-piano, on which he 
often played. He was a skilful draughtsman with pen and pen- 
cil, and many portfolios of drawings and of engravings and mu- 
sical scores lay about the room, or upon the shelves of his book- 
cases, wherever the crowd of books, of which he had a large and 
excellent collection, left space for them. 

The ancient classics were his intimates; his knowledge of early 
English literature was beyond that of any of his contemporaries, 
with perhaps the exception of Warton, the historian of English 
poetry ; and his familiarity with Shakespeare was that of a lover. 
He was master of Italian and of French, and was more or less ac- 
quainted with many other languages. His library represented the 
wide fields of his learning. As happens with every lover of books, 
the more he had the more he wanted, and "he had," writes the 
Reverend Mr. Cole, a familiar acquaintance of the poet in his 
later years, "not only a large collection in a room on the same 
floor with his chamber, but hired a room or two above his apart- 
ments which were completely filled with books." He adds, light- 
ing up his description with a pleasant little gleam of the poefs 
character, "I have reason to mention this . . . for he was contin- 
ually lending to me from his store." 

In the windows of his room were boxes of flowers, which he 
tended with special care. "And so you have a garden of your 

( 8 ) 



AS A NATURALIST 

own," he wrote to his friend Nicholls, "and you plant and trans- 
plant, and are dirty and amused; are you not ashamed of your- 
self? Why, I have no such things, you monster; nor ever shall 
be dirty or amused as long as I live! My gardens are in the win- 
dow, like those of a lodger up three pair of stairs in Petticoat 
Lane or Camomile Street, and they go to bed regularly under 
the same roof that I do." 

"The favorite study of Mr. Gray for the last ten years of his 
life," says Mason in his Memoirs of the poet, "was Natural His- 
tory. ... He followed it closely, and often said that he thought 
it a singular felicity to have engaged in it, as, besides the con- 
stant amusement it gave him in his chamber, it led him more 
frequently out into the fields, and, by making his life less seden- 
tary, improved the general course of his health and spirits." 
Gray''s letters afford abundant confirmation of Mason's words, 
but still stronger evidence of his devotion to the study of nature 
is found in the marginal notes with which he enriched the pages 
of his books. Mason speaks especially of his notes on Hudson's 
Flora Anglka^ and on the Systema Naturae of Linnaeus, "which 
latter he interleaved and filled almost entirely." In a letter writ- 
ten after the poefs death, Mr. Cole says: "He had Linnaeus's 
Works interleaved always before him, when I have accidentally 
called upon him." 

Gray bequeathed to Mason his manuscripts and the better 

(9) 



THE POET GRAY 

part of his books, among them this copy of the Systema Na- 
turae. At Mason's death, in 1797, they passed to Mr. Richard 
Stonhewer, one of Gray's oldest friends, and when he died they 
came into the possession of his executor, the Reverend Mr. 
Bright of Skeffington Hall, Leicestershire. When Mr. T. J. 
Mathias was preparing his edition of Gray's Works, which ap- 
peared in two quarto volumes in 1814, Mr. Bright placed at his 
disposal the mass of Gray's manuscripts, whether in independent 
note-books or on the margins of printed books, and from them 
Mr. Mathias selected the material which fills his second volume. 
Among his selections were specimens of Gray's annotations to 
the Linnceus; but though they occupy twenty-five pages they 
represent only an inconsiderable part of the notes. Some thirty 
years later, in 1845, many of the books and manuscripts of 
Gray which Mr. Bright had possessed were sold at auction in 
London. Most of them were purchased by Mr. Penn of Stoke 
Pogis, who occupied the house called West End, which had be- 
longed to Gray's uncle, Mr. Rogers, and in which Gray's mother 
had spent the last years of her life, and where she had died. 
Some years later Mr. Penn sold the manuscripts at auction, and 
apparently disposed of the mass of the books by private sale to 
a bookseller. At any rate some of the books got into the mar- 
ket, and were dispersed. The Linnceus finally found its way into 
the hands of Mr. Ruskin. He kept it among his treasures for 

( 10) 



AS A NATURALIST 

many years, and after his death it was given to me by his cousin 
and heir, Mrs. Arthur Severn. 

Linnaeus was the elder contemporary of Gray by nine years, 
and his life lasted for nearly seven years after the death of the 
poet. The first edition of his famous work was published in 
1735, when he was but twenty-eight years old. It presented a 
comprehensive view of the three realms of nature, — the animal, 
the vegetable and the mineral, — and in its admirable system 
and not less admirable definitions brought an order into the 
study of zoology and botany which had hitherto been lacking. 
It at once became the chief manual of students of Natural His- 
tory, but the very stimulus and guidance it afforded led to such 
increase of knowledge that the work required frequent revision 
and enlargement, and in the tenth edition, published in 1758, 
Linnaeus embodied the results of more than twenty years of in- 
vestigation and reflection. This was the edition which Gray used 
and annotated to such extent that his additions and illustra- 
tions are found on almost every page of the two volumes which 
treat of animals and plants, and if printed would form a volume 
at least equal in size to one of the original. 

The work which these volumes exhibit is so remarkable a 
monument of Gray's learning and industry, and throws so much 
light on his occupations and interests, especially during the last 
ten years of his life, that some knowledge of it seems essential, not 

( H ) 



THE POET GRAY 

only to the understanding of the course of his days, but even 
more to a just appreciation of his character and his acquisitions. 
The first volume of the Systema Naturae^ treating of the Ani- 
mal Kingdom, has eight hundred and twenty-four pages; the 
second, treating of Plants, contains five hundred and sixty-six. 
Gray had both volumes interleaved, thus doubling their size. He 
divided the first into two parts, one comprising the portion deal- 
ing with Mammalia, Birds, Amphibia and Fishes, the other the 
portion treating of Insects and Vermes. This first part of the 
first volume is of three hundred and thirty-eight printed pages, 
so that interleaved it consists of six hundred and seventy-six 
pages in all, of which six hundred and twenty -two contain notes 
by Gray ; of the fifty-four which have no notes, twenty-eight are 
of the general introduction, six are occupied with the lists of 
genera and species, while eleven only belong to the descriptive 
text, and most of these are in the section of Pisces. The notes 
vary greatly in character and in extent, — some consist of mere 
marks of reference, but most of them are of considerable length, 
often occupying a large part or even the whole of a page. Their 
main object was to add information, gathered chiefly from books 
but largely also from his own observation, to the brief scientific 
descriptions of Linnaeus. Some of the notes are in English, but 
most of them are in Latin, with numerous citations in French or 
Italian. Gray wrote Latin with ease, and with mastery of a large 

( 12 ) 



4i MAMMALIA FERj^. Felis. 

Pardus mas, Panthera femina. /^Ip. ^tgypt. 257, i. jf / j. 

PaidrJ.is. R^j. quadr. 166. 

Thris mexicina. Hem. mex. 498. t. 498. 

Pinum Dafypus. Nieremb. nat. 153. t. I5'3. 

habitat in Indiis. 

Onca. 4. F. canda elongata , corpore flavefcente maculis nigris 

'^'^'^'^^t^' rotundato annularis medio flavis. ' /^.^ i^^L-., ^ ^f^^. 

frT"^^-. ' Paidus f. Lyn'x brafilienfis. Raj. quadr. i68/'-'.^<'^' 

-«^..*,^,il^-v„j;)gliava. /u.7rf;;r. Zrrf/. 2:5-7. '-"t/-^^^ .-^-^z^ .-ai o-?/ z,:^-...,--^ 

■^^^-^^v/S^i^i^'.t^ Habitat iu America mendionali.J^^/';:^ Z^^-^^^. 

Pardsiis. 5-. F. canda elons^nta, corpore maculis fuperioribus virga- 
yZ., ^-»^6a.*«^rrr^Aa>C«.-t's; iiiicriutio'is orbiculatis. i^yjJ. nat. 4. n. 4. 
^'^/:^^,CjLi-^^'to^^^. Cato-Pardrs ^nicxicanus. Hc-n:. msx. <^\x. t. 512. 
7»i-,«:u;<^/;.<^e^<7<=-i^,C:;tus Pardus f. Catus americanorum. Raj. quadr. 169-. 
./%<»-<^i^«-<-<»i^-'-^ - -* =^t'=-*''i^ - tiniutat in America, s y«««i^ y i-r-cJia^ ^«^^V-. ■^'"■a*-^'^-''* 
Magnitude Mclis fupra fufcus ., fultus mJbicavs \ Line<t 
ptmSLiijue nigra per totuin corpus loMgiindtnaliter fpar- 
J 'I , Jed pedes $5' abdomen tanlii/n panHis ; Latcra /»- 
^-^/'i latiortir:is aibis ^ fiffcis pirjgutitnr. Aurcs breves, 
M.irgif^e bijui.e cbsqtte penicillis. Pedes f-4. Cauda 
vert-cillai^i- variegata proportione Cati. Mvftaces 4 
orAiiin-in : i:j J'.::g:tlo ord:s7e fet^c 3. /. fj alb^ baji tit- 
,/ ^''*'j lo/jj^iiudine capitis, 

' C;Uus. 6. F. canda clongai-a,, corpore fafciis nigricantibus ; dor- 
JX^ c<^i: . falibiis I'-ingitudinaliDUS trious ; lateralibus fpiraiibus. 

^^:]'^cLu^. Fe'is cau'Ja clongara, auribus cquaiibus. Fattn. fucc.'^. 

^f^.-yfoM:^. Jy/}, Knt. 4. ». 6. 

(^^r^:)i^z.. VzX\% val;io Catus. Gefn. qnadr. 95. Aldr. quadr. 5-65;. 

T'.'-..^^/; i'^,^-^^. FellS. Aldr. dig. j'64. jonfx. qttncxr. iSo. /. 72.. 

jVcJ^X.) 0>.<^yC. . '^ Habitat id Europjs ah'Jir.dis fyhis. 

/■x^';'^^ y^i6'^;^«J congsnerhm , triinqnilUi , err jmoAt/ , cauiaya 

■■' ' erigit ; cxcitata cgiiiffrma , [candit , /r^^^j jrernit odo- 

rc uyKkrodaco ., I-/iur7un Leo., i:: pr.cdara i-ateuta cau- 
^arn tr.ovet y ocali tioSlu luce'iit ., inbiando pr,vdain kait- 
rit ^ clamcndt rixandvque mifcre amat. Fupilla i»' 
terdiu perpoidicnlari oblo::^a., wodn tcreti a:7;pH.tia\ 
tiygivbtis complicatis ivcedit ., patce hibit ^ urinn corro- 
fiia^ ftercur fcpelit., carnci edit vegeiabi}uin:'c rcfpuit, 
«.< inftanie ti'mfjcjUte mar:H la'V^t .^ dorfum ta tcuebrii 
eleSrijaf ; in ail-um a^ca dccidxt in pedes. Piuicet no» 
habet. Dekilatiir Maro , Nspeta, VahrtAiCa.. 

-1 • • / • ■/.■./. T, V. 

















. >»^<i^z 
















C^^^Cr,..^y'.'f) 



_^J) . 






^ 










AS A NATURALIST 

vocabulary; his style in the notes is concise, and occasionally 
in the description of an animal or a plant there are striking 
felicity and vigour in his expression. Gray's handwriting is ex- 
quisite ; it is small and fine but always distinct, with ten to twelve 
words in an average line, with few erasures or insertions, and 
scarcely ever with a blot. A facsimile of one of the printed pages 
and of its opposite interleaved page will serve better than any 
description to give a correct image of his work. 

In his descriptions of animals Linnaeus frequently gives be- 
side the Latin name its synonym in various languages, but on 
the margins of the text Gray adds greatly to the number of the 
synonyms, often citing from remote and little known tongues. 
Thus names occur from the following languages : English, Welsh, 
Erse, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, 
Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Russian, Polish, Ancient and Mod- 
ern Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Persian, Mexican, Brazilian, Peru- 
vian, and these are far from exhausting the list. 

The citations from works on Natural History, books of Travel, 
Transactions of learned Societies, which abound in his notes, 
and the still more numerous references to them, show the wide 
range of Gray's reading. The list of books quoted or referred to 
runs up to not far from one hundred distinct titles, many of 
them of works in numerous volumes. Beside general works on 
Natural History, and the Transactions of learned Societies they 

( 13) 



THE POET GRAY 

include many special treatises and many narratives of travel. 
From Aristotle to Pliny, from Pliny to BufFon, Gray has gleaned 
the whole field. 

The second part of the first volume of the Systema has four 
hundred and eighty-five pages of text, or nine hundred and 
seventy of text and interleaving, of which less than twenty are 
without a note or some mark of reference, while most of them 
contain more than one note, often of great length. The fly-leaves 
at the beginning are occupied with a vocabulary. Termini Artis, 
and a list of Latin terms of colour with their English equivalents. 
The notes on Insects are frequently of special interest from the 
evidence they afford of personal observation, and from their full 
and minute descriptions drawn from direct study of the living 
creatures. These descriptions in many cases enter into greater de- 
tail than those given by Linnaeus, and furnish proof of Gray's 
excellence as a descriptive naturalist. It appears from them that 
he had a collection of insects, and was on the watch for speci- 
mens wherever he might be. Such entries are frequent as ^^ speci- 
men nostrum;'''' ^^noster, sub fine mensis Junii in solidaghie cap- 
tus;''"' ^'ad Hartlepool in arena maris sub saxo inveni;''"' ^^mense 
Junio cepi in pratis juxta Maryhbone C "in pratis Chelseianis 
prope Thamesin mense Maio cepi;'''' ^^cepi in Hyde Park sub fine 
mensis Maii."" 

An almost complete record of the places where Gray stayed 

( 14 ) 



AS A NATURALIST 
and of his journeys in England and Scotland during the last ten 
years of his life might be made up from these entries. Thus in 
1759 and 1760 he was living in London, where, as he says in a 
letter to his friend Dr. Wharton (September, 1759), " I do not 
see much myself of the face of nature here, but I inquire;" but, as 
the passages just cited show, he was catching insects in the fields 
of Marylebone and of Chelsea, and in Hyde Park, and there are 
not a few entries of ^^prope Londinum cepV or ^^repertus est.''^ 
Similar entries show him to have been in Kent, in Suffolk, in 
Hampshire, in Cornwall, in Yorkshire and Lancashire, and in 
Durham at Hartlepool on the coast. The dates of his visits to 
these different regions may be gathered from his letters; and 
while one might learn from the letters that he was a keen and 
constant observer of nature, the reader would not gain from them 
even a faint conception of his devotion to the study of natural 
objects and his extraordinary proficiency as a naturalist. He did 
not claim the interest of his friends in pursuits for which they 
might have little inclination or sympathy, and so far as appears 
he kept up no relations with other students in the same field. 

The third volume of Gray's copy (the second of the Systema) 
is devoted to Plants, and has eleven hundred and twenty-two 
pages of text and interleaving. The notes are not less numer- 
ous, but they are for the most part briefer than in the preceding 
volumes. He was an accomplished botanist, and his notes are 

( 15 ) 



THE POET GRAY 

excellent in their succinct statement of distinctive characteris- 
tics, and in the variety of information conveyed in them. They 
are, almost without exception, confined to fact, but now and 
then there is a sentence in them which reveals the poet. For in- 
stance, his note on the Gentianella is: ^^Planta humilis^ Jlos am- 
plus limho Julgentissime cceruleo^ quo nihil in herbis pulchrius.'''' 
On Coffea he writes : " Una e tribiis istis mysteriosis plantis, 
quas vel misericors vel iratus Deus orbi proposuit. Witsenii curd 
ex Arabia Felici semen in Javam delatum est: nunc in Amer- 
ica colitur et frugem copiose profert. Arbu^cula est rectissima, 
12 pedes alta^Jlore albo odoratissimo, Jractu rubro (H: Cliff:). 
Pasqua, a Greek, servant to Mr, Edwards, a Smyrna mer- 
chant, set up the first Coffee-House in London about 1652 in 
St. Michael's Cornhill Churchyard."" The entry opposite Nico- 
tiana is : " Opere Joh. Nicotii, legati apud Lusitanos, Gallis pri- 
mum innotuit anno 1660. Herba nunc per orbem adorata, licet 
venenata."" 

In addition to the notes with which these volumes are crowded, 
and even of more interest, as an illustration of Gray's gifts and 
accomplishments, are a multitude of pen-and-ink drawings of 
birds, of insects and of mollusks and testacea. These drawings, 
as may be seen from the facsimiles contained in this volume, 
are the work not only of a good observer, but also of a skilful 
draughtsman. In the spirit with which the characteristic features 

( 16) 



AS A NATURALIST 

and expression of the animals represented are rendered, and in 
the vigour and refinement of touch, many of these drawings are 
hardly to be surpassed, and their number is such as to show that 
they must have been executed with ease. Thus, in the first part 
of the first volume there are twenty-four representations of the 
heads of birds, and in the second part of the same volume there 
are no less than one hundred and seventy-two drawings of in- 
sects or of parts of them, and twenty-eight of mollusks and tes- 
tacea. Many of the drawings of the parts of insects are enlarged, 
and they are noted as " microscopio auctum''^ or ^^lente visuviy'' or 
with words to like effect. 

In a letter to his old friend Dr. Wharton, in 1760, not far 
from the time when he was beginning his work on this copy of 
the Sy sterna Naturae^ Gray wrote: "To find one's self business, 
I am persuaded, is the great art of life: . . . some spirit, some- 
thing of genius (more than common) is required to teach a man 
to employ himself.'' The Linnasiis shows that his genius was suf- 
ficient for this task. "Perhaps,'"* said one of his old friends, 
shortly after his death, — "perhaps he was the most learned man 
in Europe. . . . But he was also a good man, a well-bred man, a 
man of virtue and humanity." That remarkable Swiss youth, 
Bonstetten, who by his many gifts and graces won the heart of 
Gray in the year before the poet's death, in a charming letter 
from Cambridge to their common friend, the Reverend Norton 

( 17) 



THE POET GRAY 

NichoUs, tells in simple, imperfect English of his life there and 
of Gray''s kindness to him. "After breakfast,^ he says, "appear 
Shakespeare and old Lineus [sic^ struggling together as two 
ghosts would do for a damned soul. Sometimes the one gets the 
better, sometimes the other." 

Thus employed with Shakespeare and Linnaeus, content with 
either, student and lover of both, and of all that both repre- 
sent, we have our last glimpse of the solitary student of nature 
and of books, "perhaps the most learned man in Europe,"" and 
the author of the poem which, says Mr. John Morley, " has for 
nearly a century and a half given to greater multitudes of men 
more of the exquisite pleasure of poetry than any other single 
piece in all the glorious treasury of English verse." 

On one of the first pages of the second part of the first volume 
of the Systema Naturce, Gray has written the following words 
of Aristotle. They indicate the deeper thought which animated 
his studies of nature. 

Ato Set fXT} Sv<r\epaiveiv TratSiKws r^v irepi twj/ aTifWTfpwv ^wwv iTTLCTKaf/LV' 
iv TToxTi yap rots ^vo-ikoTs davfJuaoTov Ti evcari. Aristot. De partib. Animal. 

KcXoito ^vfia<i elaievai dappovvra^- ciai yap Koi IvravOa Oeol. (^Id. ibid.^ 

" Wherefore one ought not to feel a childish dislike at inspecting the 
lowest animals, for in every object of nature dwells something marvellous." 
"I command you to enter with confidence, for even here are gods." 

( 18 ) 



SELECTIONS 

FROM THE NOTES OF GRAY IN HIS COPY OF 

THE SYSTEMA NATURE OF LINN^US 

WITH FACSIMILES OF SOME OF THE PAGES 



SELECTIONS 

FROM THE NOTES OF GRAY IN HIS COPY 

OF THE SYSTEMA NATUR.E 

The following selections have been made with the object of 
showing the general character and the great variety of Gray's 
notes, while the facsimiles illustrate the excellence of his draw- 
ings, and exhibit the aspect of the pages. But the mass of his 
work cannot be shown, and yet it is the mass which alone can 
convey a true impression of his diligence, of the range of his read- 
ing, of the constancy and accuracy of his observation, and of his 
skill as a descriptive naturalist. He does not appear to have in- 
tended to contribute to the advance of knowledge ; his work was 
undertaken for its own sake, and it remains as the chief monu- 
ment of the occupations of his later years.^ 

^ In printing these selections the text has been closely followed, except occasion- 
ally in its punctuation, and except also in a peculiarity of Grays writing, that 
of frequently beginning a sentence without a capital. 



(21 ) 



THE POET GRAY 

VOLUME I. PART 1. 
MAMMALIA, AVES, AMPHIBIA, PISCES 

MAMMALIA 

Elephas maximus 
The Elephant 

In Africa occidentali frequens, sed minor; in Orientali, Asia me- 
ridionali, insulisq Indicis maximus. Natura gregarius, nee ferox 
nisi lacessitus. Annos vivit circiter 200. . . . Captivi non gene- 
rant. Colore variat cinereo, nigricante, vel rufo, vel (quod rarum 
est) albescente. Pondus 4000 lb. facile portat. Animal genero- 
sum, superbum, sagacissimuni, gratum, fidele. Elephas optimus 
(in India) pretio saepe ISOOdP monetae Anglicae venditur, Orjzae 
lb. 100 cum saccharo nigro & pipere quotidie comedit; vinum 
amat, spiritusq ardentes; herbas, folia, floresq odoratos accurate 
seligit, insecta decutit. Aquam, pulveremq super corpus suum 
spargit, munditiae studiosus. Optime natat, proboscide erecta. 
Porci vocem etiam, ignemq horret. Iter 20 leucarum singulis 
diebus facit, & si opus est, etiam 35. In Europa (etiam maxime 
Australi) non diu vivit. Elephantiasi laborat. Cilia in utraque 
palpebra dura, longa; setae quoque in apice caudae: pili cor- 
poris rari, breves. Horum ossa dentesq in Siberia, Russia, Ger- 
mania, &c: etiam in America, sub terra inveniuntur. [p. 33.] 

(22) 



AS A NATURALIST 

VULPES 

The Fox, or Tod 
Mures etiam, reptilia, insecta, pisces, fructus, (praesertim uvas) 
erinaceos, apum favos, ova avium, &c. devorat. Hyeme coit, 
Aprili mense 3 ad 6 catulos parit, qui fere biennes generant. 
Annos circ. 14 vivit. Hyeme varias edit voces, ululat, latrat, 
ejulat more pavonis; aestate tacet. Captus acriter mordet, ani- 
mose pugnat, moriturus silet. Merulae, picae glandarias, aviculae, 
speculantur; strepitu denunciant; ut noctuam, persequuntur. 
Cum cane famil. non procreat. Catena vinctus gallinas illaesas 
juxta se sinit: nunquam perfecte mansuescit; tandem, libertatis 
desiderio, contabescit. Caro autumno esculenta, cum avarum 
pastu pinguescit {BiiffoUy v. 7). Melem ex antro saepe expel lit, 
ut ipse habitet (ibid.). [p. ^0.] 

Felis catus 
The Cat 

DoMESTicus parum docilis, subdolus, adulatorius; domino dor- 
sum, latera, caput, afFricare amat. Junior mire lusibus deditus 
et jocis; adultus tranquillior. Bis quotannis foemina (vere scili- 
cet et autumno) et aliquando saspius, marem ejulando appellat, 
mordet, et ad venerem quasi compellit; dies 55 uterum gerit; 
pullos circ. 6 parit, quos mas saepe devorat, aliquando et ipsa 
mater. Mammae 8. Penis brevis, glande conica retrorsum acu- 

(23) 



THE POET GRAY 

leata. Dentes 30 potius ad lacerandum, quam ad rodendum aut 
masticandum parati. Colore variat: totus niger; totus albus; 
cinereus maculis fasciisq nigris; rufus maculis magis saturate 
rufis; bicolor albo-niger; tricolor, albo, nigro, rufoq. varius: &c. 
&c.. Tres autem aliae principales varietates: 

Meliteiisis 1. Cinereo-caerulescens maculis nuUis, pilis sericeis, 
spissis. 

Ancyranus 2. Pilis longis, undulatis, dependentibus. 

Sinensis 3. Auriculis pendulis, pilis longis (Biiff'on, v. 6). 

[p. m 

MUSTELA ICHNEUMON 

The Pharaoh'' s Rat, or Mungo 
j8. MusTELA glauca. Port. Muncos. Belg. Rottevanger. Malab. 
Quirpele. Bengal. Sunsa. Javan. Gagarangan. Maxime agilis, & 
velox, saepe erecta incedit, pedibusq anterioribus, ut sciurus, uti- 
tur, quos, cum nihil agit, pectori imponit, innocentiam simulans; 
capite nunquam quiescit, omnia observans. Facile mansuescit, & 
cum homine, ut catus, ludit. Vegetabilia respuit. Stercus faetidissi- 
mum. Si canis accedit, sclopeti fragore stridet. Conglobata dor- 
mit {Rumph.). Corpus postice in caudam attenuata, ut in la- 
certis; oculi ignei. Rostrum acutiusculum. ^gyptia Indica duplo 
major, apice caudae subfloccosa: caetera similis {Edw.X Extrema 
pedum nigra (Buffbn, v. 13, p. 150). {p. 4^3.] 

( 24 ) 



AS A NATURALIST 

Mus Geemanicus 
The Hanover Rat 

Cauda elongata subnuda, dorso & fronte gibbis, supra cinereo- 
rufescens, infra albidus, 9 inches \ long, tail 7-|. weigh'd 13 oz. 
5 Dr. |. Circ. ann. 1728 paucis abhinc annis in Anglia notus. M. 
Ratto major, robustior, ferocior, quern fere hospes in exilium pe- 
pulit. Antra in ripis excavat, optima natans, horrea, domosq infes- 
tat, cuniculorum, gallinarum, &c. pullos enecat, acerrime mordet, 
cum cato fortiter dimicat, quem aliquando in fugam vertit, canum 
furonumq praeda. Ter quotannis parit, una vice 12 ad 19 catellos 
{Biiffbn, V. 8). Origo incerta. In Norvegia ignotus. [p. 61.] 

CaMELUS DROiMEDARIUS 

The Camel 
In Africa a mari Mediterraneo ad Nigrum usque flumen, Asiaq 
tota, quae sub eadem latitudine jacet, frequentissimus. Arabum 
divitiae, quorum onera portat, quibusq lac pro potu, carnem 
pro cibo, pilos (ovinis molliores) pro veste & tentoriis suppedi- 
tat. Varietas est minor, levior, gracilior, quae cura atq assidua 
exercitatione instituitur, ut equos cursu vincat; iter quotidie 
faciat leucarum 40. . . . Tophum dorsi unicum, solitoq minorem 
gerit. Camelus cibi parcissimus plantis asperis, spinosis gaudet; 
sitim q. dierum tolerat; musica exhilaratur. . . . Onus portat 
700 lb., aliquando & 1500. Equis assuescit. Ferus nusquam 

(quod scimus) reperitur. [p. 65.] 

( 25 ) 



THE POET GRAY 



AVES 

LIST OF ALL THE BIRDS FOUND IN 

GREAT BRITAIN! 

Those marli'd with * are scarce birds with us. Those with ** are 
extremely rare. Those with t are usually eaten. 

Falcones 

1. The Brown Ring-taird Eagle** 

2. The Ringtail, or Hen-Harrier 

3. The Kite 



4. The Falcon-Gentle** 

5. TheBlew-Hawk** 

6. The Hobby 

7. The Buzzard 

8. The Kestrill 

9. The Bald-Buzzard 

10. The Honey-Buzzard 

11. The Moor-Buzzard 

12. The Goshawk 

13. The Sparrow-Hawk 

14. The Horn-Owl** 

15. The White-Owl 



Striges 



Fulvus 

Pygargus 

Milvus 

Gentilis 

Macrocnemus 

Suhhuteo 

Buteo 

Tinnunculus 

Haliaetos 

Apivorus 

JEniginosus 

Palumbarius 

Niszis 

Otus 



\}A list sJmifar to this of the Birds precedes the other Classes of Animals in 
this part of the first volume.] 

( ^^6) 



AS A NATURALIST 




16. The Scriech-Owl 


Stridula 


17. The Grey-Owl 


Ulula 


Lanii 
18. The Great Butcher-bird 


Excuhitor 


19. The Flusher 


CoUurio 


20. The Bohemia-Chatterer** 


Garrulus 


CORVI 

21. The Raven 


Corax 


22. The Carrion-Crow 


Corona 


23. The Rook t 


Frugilegus 


24. The Royston-Crow 


Comix 


25. The Jack-daw 


Monedula 


26. The Jay 


Glandarius 


27. The Magpie 


Pica 


28. The Rock-Ousel 


Irifaiistus 


29. The Cuckow (Cuculus) 


Carioriis 


30. The Wryneck ( Jynx) 


Torquilla 


Pici 
31. The Green Woodpecker 


Viridis 


32. The Greater Spotted Woodpecker 


Major 


33. The Lesser " " 


Medius 


34. The Least " « 


Minor 


35. The Nuthatch (Sitta) 


Ewopoea 


36. The Kings-fisher (Alcedo) 


Ispida 


(27 ) 





THE POET 


GRAY 




Upup^ 






37. The Hoopoe** 




Epops 


38. The Cornish-Crow 




Pyrrhocorax 


39. The Tree-Creeper (Certhia) 




Familiaris 


Anates 






40. The Wild-Swan 




Cygnus 


{a) The Swan t 






41. The Wild-Goose 




Anser 



{a) The Goose t 

42. The Wild Duck t 
(a) The Duck t 

43. The Bergander 

44. The Swan-Goose t 

45. The Great Black-Duck 

46. The Scoter, or Black-Diver 

47. The Canada Goose 

48. The Brent-Goose, or Barnacle t 

49. The St. Cuthbert^s Duck** 

50. The Muscovy-Duck t 

51. TheShovelert 

52. The yellow-leg"'d Shoveler 

53. The Gadwall, or Gray 

54. The Golden-Eye 

55. The Widgeon t 

(28) 



Boschas 

Tadorna 

Cygndides 

Fusca 

Nigra 

Canadensis 

Bernicla 

MoUissima 

Moschata 

Clypeata 

Platyi'hyncos 

Strepera 

Clangula 

Penelope 



56. The 

57. The 

58. The 

59. The 

60. The 

61. The 

62. The 

63. The 

64. The 

65. The 

66. The 

67. The 

68. The 

69. The 

70. The 

71. The 

72. The 

73. The 

74. The 

75. The 



AS A NATURALIST 

Sea-Pheasant, or EasterHng t 

Pochard, or Dun-bird t 

Tealt 

Summer-Teal 

hook-biird Duck 

tufted Duck 

Mergi 
Gooseander, or Dun -diver 
long-beak'd Duck 
Smew, or Lough-diver 
Weesel-Coot 

Alce 
Rasor-Bill 

Puffin t 

Guillemot 

Puffinet, or Sea-Turtle 

Greenland Dove 

Pelecani 
Cormorant 

Shag 

Soland Goose, or Gannet t 

COLYMBI 

Ember-Goose ** 
great crested Loon * * 

( 29 ) 



Caudacuta 

Farina 

Crecca 

Circia 

Adunca 

Fuligula 

Merganser 
Serrator 
Albellus 
Minutus 

Torda 

Arctica 

Lomvia 

Grylle 

Alle 

Carho 

Macidosus 9 
Bassaniis 

Arcticus 
Crhtatus 



THE POET GRAY 

76. The Didapper, or Dobchick 

Lari 



93. The RufFt 



Tring.e 



(30) 



Aurittis 



77. The Grey-Gull, or 1 


'arrock 


Tridactylus 


78. The Herring-Gull 




Canus ? 


79. The great black and white Gull 


Marimis ? 


80. The Coddy-moddy 


Stern.e 


Fuscus ? 


81. The Sea-Swallow, or 


Tern 


Hirundo 


82. The Brown Tern 


Arde.e 


Nigra 


83. The Crane 




Grus 


84. The Heron 




Cinerea 


85. The White Heron * 




Alba 


86. The Bittern t 


SCOLOPACES 


Stellaris 


87. The Red-Shank t 




Totanus 


88. The Curlew f 




Arquata 


89. The Whimbrel 




PhcEopus 


90. The Woodcock t 




Rusticola 


91. The Snipe t 




Gallinago 


92. The God wit, or Yarwhelp t 


Mgocephala 



Pugnax 



i 



AS A NATURALIST 



94. The Lapwing t 




Vanellus 


95. The Turnstone 




Interpres 


96. The Grey coot-footed Stint** 


Phalaropiis 


97. The Sand-piper 




Hypoleucos 


98. The Knot t 




Canutus f 


99. The Grey Plover t 


Charadrii 


Squatarola 


100. The Green Plover t 




Pluvialis 


101. The Sea-Lark 




Hiaticula 


102. The Dottrell t 




Morinellus 


103. The Stone-Curlew 




Oedicnemus 


104. The Shooing-Horn " 


*"* (Recurvirostra) 


Avosetta 


105. The Sea-Pie (H^matopus) 


Ostralegus 




FULIC.E 




106. The Coot t 




Atra 


107. The Moor-Hen t 


Ralli 


Chloropus 


108. The Land-Rail *t 




Crex 


109. The Water-Rail t 


Otides 


Aquaticus 


110. The Bustard t 




Tarda 


111. The Small Bustard ' 


^*! 


Tetrax 


112. The Peacock! (Pavo) 


Cristatus 


113. The Turkey! (Meleagris) 


Gallopavo 




(31 ) 





THE POET GRAY 
Phasiani 



114. The Cock t 




Gallus 


115. The Guinea-Hen t 




Meleagris 


116. The Pheasant! 


Tetraones 


Colchicus 


117. The Heath-cock, or 


Black Game t 


Tetrix 


118. The Grous, or Red-Game t 


Rubens 


119. The Partridge t 




Perdix 


120. The Quail t 


COLUMB.E 


Coturnix 


121. The Wood-Pigeon 




Oenas 


(a) The Pigeon t 






122. TheTurtle-Dove*t 


Alaud^ 


Turtur 


123. The Sky-Lark t 




Arvensis 


124. The Tit-I-ark 




Pratensis 


125. The Wood-Lark 




Arborea 


126. The Pippit 




Campestris 


127. The Water-Ousel (S: 


ruRNUs) 

TURDI 


Cinclus 


128. The Missel-Thrush 




Viscivorus 


129. The Feldefare t 




Pilaris 


130. The Red-wing 




riiacus 


131. The Song-Thrush f 




Musicus 



( 32 ) 



l^^^.- 




'■/ys 

/yd". </Aa_ (^Ijla-C' ~ <y»<3-y-rzr>»^ , 



■ %/ ^i^t-r^-iu^ 



<ylW/4.>t_ 



r' 



<v2< yj f »i Act <■ -O- - t'^a-iv^-j-x^ 



oZu^i 



^jS'4^. --*'-^ )>*-< 






■ 7/ 






'-'7 



















rj^ - /yiA-y-ia-*). 



-.1- 



f: 



7 ^ / 






tfiivi'ui. ~,CA»J: 




^^ 




.^^^.^' 



• <:a-&jL. , ^iji-J-ik^ 



2^^^.?^-^;, 



Z*^-L ^ 



AS A NATURALIST 

132. The Rose-Ousel** 

133. The Black-bird 



134. The Ring-Ousel 

135. The Cross-bill** 

136. The Gross-beak** 

137. The Bull-finch 

138. The Green-finch 



Loxij; 



Embeeiz.e 



139. The Pied-Chaffinch** 

140. The Bunting-Lark 

141. The Yellow-Hamber 

142. The Chaffinch (Fringill.e) 

143. The Brambling (Fringill^) 

144. The Starling (Sturnus) 

Fringillj; 

145. The Aberduvine, or Siskin * 

146. The Linnet 

147. The Red-headed Linnet 

148. The Sparrow t 

149. The Reed-Sparrow 

150. The Mountain-Sparrow * 



Roseus 
Merula 
Torquatus 

Citrvirostra 
Coccothraustes 
Pyrrhula 
Chloris 

Nivalis 

Calandra 

Citrinella 

Ccelehs 

Montifringilla 

Vulg} 

Spinus 

Linaria 

Caniiab. 

Dom. 

Schosn. 

Mont 



[^ The facsimile shows that the space on the page is so occupied with drawings 
that for lack of room many of the following names are abbreviated.] 

( 33 ) 



151. 

152. 

153. 

154. 

155. 

156. 

157. 

158. 

159. 

160, 

161, 

162 

163, 

164, 

165. 

166. 



THE POET GRAY 

The Gold-finch 

MOTACILLE 

The Hedge-Sparrow 
The Nightingale 
The Pettychaps 
The Sedge-bird 
The White-Throat 
The Wagtail 
The Yellow-Wagtail 
The Whin-chat 
The Wheat-ear t 
The Black -cap 
The Red-start 
The Robin 
The Wren 
The Copped Wren * 
The Green Wren 



Pari 



167. The Crested Titmouse 

168. The Great Titmouse 

169. The Tom-tit 

170. The Coal-mouse 

171. The Marsh Titmouse 

172. The long-tail'd Titmouse 

( 34) 



Card. 

Curr. 

Luscin. 

HippoL 

Salic. 

Sylvia 

Alba 

Flava 

Ruhetr. 

Oenanth. 

A trie. 

Phoenic. 

Ruhec. 

Troglocl. 

Regulus 

Trochil. 

Crist. 

Mq^'or. 

Ccerul. 

Ater 

Palustr. 

Caudat. 







^l/-aL^ ^ 



f Arz-tj^ 



'^-O i->7- C-'-S^i^i 



a^ i/e^ 



^^^rj- 
















r^^^ ^^Z^, ^ ^^^^V^- 



» . ,//-iJi— c' a-</ res- ■ , 
■J . c*X<- ^. 

^ r '' ^/ -/ "" o' -'^// <^.^ r/.'^' / n 






c'/v.a- u32^/^>-iyjlli)r-3-i:tJi^ ^^^ Jlye. 



/ 




>' 












f^y^fa.3-. 



AS A NATURALIST 

173. The Beardmanica * Biarm. 

HiRUNDINES 

174. The Swallow Rustic. 

175. The Marten Urhk. 

176. The Sand-Marten Ripar. 

177. The Swift Apus 

178. The Goatsucker (Caprimulgus) Eur op. 

179. The Gair-fowl, or Penguin** (Alca) Impenn. 

180. The Fulmar * (Procellaria) Glacialis 

181. The Great Plover ** t (Scolopax) Glottis 

182. The Peterill * (Procellaria) Pelagica 

183. The Stone-chat (Motacilla) Ruhicola 

Of these the Canada-Goose., Swan-Goose, Muscovy-Duck , Pea- 
fiocky Turkey y Guinea-Fowl, Pheasant, Cock <§• Hen, have been un- 
doubtedly imported into these our islands. 



NAMES OF BIRDS FOUND IN SCOTLAND 
(as yet uncertain) 

1. The Dunter-Goose 

2. The Skeeling-Goose, or Anas Tadorna ? 

3. The Colk, cristata, cauda longa, ansere minor, lanugine tecta: 

an Anas Mollissima ? 

4. The Albanock. Alca Arctica {Martin, of the W. Isles, p. 227). 

(35 ) 



THE POET GRAY 

5. The Kittiwake, a Gull. Larus Rissa. 

6. The Pickerel 

7. The Sea-Coulter 

8. The Taster 

9. The Sea-Cock 

10. The Lyre 

11. The Tyst, an Colymbus Grylle ? 

12. The Badoch 

13. The Smlefanger 

14. The Cockandy 

15. The Thrissel-cock 

16. The Gare 

17. The Gawlin 

18. The Rain-Goose 

19. The Bonnivochil, Bishop, or Carrard 

20. The Goylir, or Malifigy 

21. The Sereachan-aittin. 

22. The Faskidar. Larus Parasiticus 

BIRDS FOUND AT HARTLEPOOL IN THE 
BISHOPRICK OF DURHAM 

(as yet doubtful — 1765) 

1. The Teazer. Larus Parasiticus 

2. The Rot-Goose, an Anas Bernicla ? 

(36) 



AS A NATURALIST 

3. The Terum. Sterna Hirundo 

4. The Little Pet 

5. The Black-headed Gull. Larus Ridibundus 

6. The Willock. Alca Torda 

7. The Brocket. Tringa 

8. The Grey Stint, an Tringa Cinclus ? 

9. The Black « 

10. The White " 

11. The Rae 

12. The Dunling. Tringa Alpina 

13. The French (or White) Linnet, an Embariza Nivalis ? 

14. The Gold-Spink 

15. The Curlew-Hilp 



(37) 



THE POET GRAY 

Falco chrys.etos 
The Tme, or Royal Eagle 

In rupibus praeruptis nidus: ova 4 {Faun. Suec). Voce querula, 
acuta, clangit, ferocia sumnia (Aldrov.). Cadaveribus etiam pri- 
dem emortuis vescitur {Kramer). In Hiberniae montibus, in Snow- 
don & in Cheviot, sed rarius, nidificat {Pennant, ^ Wallis) ad 
Warkworth in Northumbria. \^p. 88.'] 

Falco milvus 
The Kite, or Glede 

Alis expansis in aere se librat, nunc immobilis, nunc fluxu quo- 
dam in gyris natans, prsedae intentus. In Anglia omni anni tem- 
pore conspicitur, avibus domesticis insidians, audax & molestus. 
Pedes flavi {Brisson, v. l,p. 4-lo)- Iris flava. Magnitude Galli ma- 
joris. Alae subtus albent {Kramer) qui tres alias specias (aut varie- 
tates) describit, p. 3£6. In Scotia dicitur the Fish-taiVd Gled. 

[p. 89.] 

Upupa cristata 
The Hoopoe, or Hoop 

In Northumbria interdum, sed rarius, & in agro Surreiano & 
Cornubia visa. Sono proprium nomen exprimit; Suecis rusticis 
belli omen. Ova in cavis arboribus duo cinerea ponit {Linn. F. 
Suec.) crista duplex, plicatilis, testacea, apicibus nigris {Brisson, 
V. 2, p. 4^6). Victitat insectis {Kramer). In Scotia etiam & Or- 

( 38 ) 






J^' 



■ r-^-/>^ /'., i^M. 








,A^^^'^' 






/Zj*~jai 








^^ 



^^, 



'S'^' 






J2 









^ 




Sj'r^.r-- -^i^f-^ 



I 



AS A NATURALIST 
cadibus visa est {Sibbald). In insula etiam Zeylona avis migra- 
toria (Edw. I.e.). [p. 117.] 

Anas tadorna 
The Sheldrake, or Burrow-Duck, or Bergander 

Well known in Kent, Lancashire, Wales, etc. Caro non admo- 
dum sapida aut delicata, quamvis in ventriculo nee pisces neque 
ossa piscium invenerim ( Willughhy, p. 278) plumae mollissimae, 
ut in No. 12. Mas caruneulam gibbam habet ad basin rostri; 
caput & coUum superius nigro-sericea, fasciam per abdomen due- 
tam nigram. In euniculorum foraminibus nidificat ( Will.). Litora 
etiam Northumbriae, Farnamq insulam habitat (Wallis). Marem 
(primi anni avem) Cantabrigias descripsi, die 3 Martii. Caput 
antiee compressum, vertice depress© totum nigro-nitens. Collum, 
alarum teetrices, corpus, femora, nivea; pectus, dorsum antiee, 
crissumq ferruginea; fascia in dorso utrinq, & per totum abdo- 
men a sterno ad erissum usq nigra. Remiges 1 ad 10 subacutae, 
nigrae; 11-23 (quas speculum formant) extus viridi-nitentes basi 
atq apice nigrae; intus albae, apicem versus oblique nigrse; 22-24 
extus ferrugineae & prope rachin nigrae, intus albae; 25 alba, mar- 
gine exteriore nigro; caeterae albae. Cauda rotundata alba, rec- 
tricibus 16 (1 excepta) apice nigris. Rostrum simum coccineum, 
ungue apicis naribusq nigris. Pedes pallide incarnati, unguibus 
nigris. [p. 1^2.] 

(39) 



THE POET GRAY 

Anas glaucion 
The Lesser Red-headed Duck 

Maris caput sordide nigrum, macula alarum alba. Fceminae ca- 
put sordide fuscum, loco maculae alaris pennae 5 distinctae albae; 
collare album {F. Suec.). Avis Cantabrigise in foro venalis mense 
Februario mihi allata est, PocJcerill vel Packer ibi dicta. Caput 
colore murino; collum & latera albida; dorsum & cauda ro- 
tundata e cano nigricant. Remiges 1-10 nigricantes, intus canae: 
11-14 apice interiore albae: 15-21 totae fere albae. Caudae tec- 
trices subtus albae. Abdomen album circa anum cinerascens. Ros- 
trum plumbeum lateribus & subtus nigrum. Pedes lutescentes 
membrana nigra palmati. Caro nigra, dura, piscosa. Irides flavae. 
Parum cum Glaucio, Will. No. 12, convenit, multo melius cum 
foemina A. Clangulse, p. 369. [p. 126.] 

Meleagris gallopavo 
The Turkey 

Caro lautissima, candidissima. Mas inflatus, capite prae ira ru- 
bicundo, gressu lento & ridicule superbo circa foeminarum puUo- 
rumq cohortem vigilat; canes, homines etiam (praesertim si terga 
vertant, aut veste rubra utantur) rostro, unguibus, alis adoritur, 
quamvis innoxius & imbecillus. Vox tumultuosa, cum fragore 
efFusa. Principio saeculi 16^, ut avis mira & peregrina a P. Gillio 
& Longolio apud Gesner. describitiu"; nunc ubiq in Europa com- 

( 40 ) 



AS A NATURALIST 

munis in villarum cortibus (it was first brought into England 
in 1530). Foeniina caruncula frontis breviore; cauda nunquam 
erecta, timidum animal, ca,lcaribus carens, interdum pectore bar- 
bato (B?'isson, v. 1, p. 160). Sylvestris pondere aliquando 60 lb., 
saspe 40 lb. In vivariis Angliae nunc propagatur; carne sapidis- 
sima, Phasianum semulatur. \^p. lo6.] 

Alauda arborea 
The Wood-Lark 

Gregatim volitando cantillat: cantus liquidus, varius, suavissi- 
mus, soli Lusciniae cedens. Arboribus insidet, primo vere & per 
autumnum integrum praecipue canora. Plumas capitis subinde in 
cristam erigit. Inter frutices ad sylvarum margines nidifitac. 

[p. 166.] 

LoxiA pyrrhula 
The Bull/inch 

HoRTis invisa, gemmis vescitur; voce simplici, sibila, clara. Mu- 
sicas modulationes addiscit miro ingenio & docilitate, quas reci- 
tat fistulas tonos imitata. Facile cicuratur. Ova 5 parit in sepibus. 

[p. 171.] 

HiRUNDO URBICA 

The Marten, or Martlet 

Paulo antequam migrant, mane congregantur in tectis soli ex- 
positis. Pedes alba lana vestiti. Nidus parieti adhaerens, ostio 

(41 ) 



THE POET GRAY 

laterali, e luto. In terra male ambulat. Semper eadem fere tempore 
redit, nulla caloris ratione habita, & insecta nulla inveniens ali- 
quando inedia perit (Mem. de VAcad. des Sciences^ 1740. Reau- 
mur). Cauda minus bifurca, quam in No. 1. Subtus albissima est, 
pedes quoq albidi (Brisson, v. ^, p. Ijdl ). In litore nostro australi 
(ad Southampton) festo S. Michaelis frequentes volitare vidi; die 
Octobr. 2do. omnes discesserant, tempestate tepida. [jo. 19'2.\ 



( 42 ) 



AS A NATURALIST 
I AMPHIBIA REPTILIA 

i Lacerta vulgaris 

The Newt, or Wall-Newt 

Sole occidente, Septembri exeunte, in gramine cepi Cantabrigi^. 

Caput supra depressum, oculis prominentibus. Color livide flave- 

scens, fascia ad dorsum utrinque longitudinali fused. Cutis (lente 
j visa) scabriuscula apparet. In aqud ope caud^ agitatae celeriter 

natare potest, nee tamen libenter. r ^q^ t 

AMPHIBIA NANTES 
Raja 
The Ray, Skate, or Flaire 
Testcl^ illae parallelogrammi oblongi figura, quarum longiora 
latera sandapilae aut vehieuli manualis in modum utrinque ex- 
tensa sunt, ^stu marino ejeetae in arenosis frequentes littoribus, 
nihil aliud sunt quam ovorum test^ Raiarum, aliorumq piseium 
cartilagineorum: aperto Raiae utero bina hujusmodi ova perfecte 
formata et partui proxima exemimus (Wilhghby, p. 76). These 
on the coast of Durham are calPd Sea-Purses, & in Cornwall Piz- 
gee's ii.e.) Fairie's Purses. They are of a tough membranaceous 
substance more flexible than horn, but stifFer than leather: their 
colour is a dark reddish-brown, and shining (on the inside) like 

satten. 

[p. 231.] 

(43 ) 



THE POET GRAY 
PISCES 

MuRiENA ANGUILLA 

The Eel 
In fluviis nostris, lacubus, piscinis fere omnibus frequentissimae. 
. . . Our Ancestors divided them according to their size and price 
into Great-eels, Spitch-cock eels, Shaft-eels, Brewet-eels, Pim- 
pering-eels, etc. tho' possibly this latter might be a fish of a dif- 
ferent kind, for Gesner describing a species of Loach calPd in 
Germany Beizker or Meerput^ adds, Idem aut simillimus fuerit, 
qui a Flandris Pywper-ele nominatur: e Flandria in Angliam 
importari audio. The smaller eels we now call Grigs. Nella citta 
di Coinacchio, la quale e circondata d'acqua salsa, si piglia gran 
quantita d'Anguille, che son le migliori di Lombardia, e si 
portano salate per tutta Italia {B. Scappi. f. 136). Ex Arno fl. 
anguillae omnes Augusto mense ad mare descendunt, ut ibidem 
pariant; faetus autem a mari statis temporibus (a Februario ad 
Aprilem) ad Pisas usque ascendunt {Redi apud Ramm, Synops. 
P'lsc. p. 37). They are also caught in the sea at Southampton in 
October, but greenish of colour, and yellow on the belly, and at 
Hartlepool in summer, tho' small, not varying at all in colour. 

[p. 24s.] 



( 44 ) 



1 



AS A NATURALIST 

MUR.ENA CONGER 

The Conner Eel 
CoNGRi mari refluo capti in fossis et puteis litoralibus Cornubiae 
eviscerantur, sole exsiccantur, et resolvuntur in pulverem, qui in 
Portugallia venditur et usurpatur vice farinae avenaceae (Robinson 
apud Willughhy, append, pag. 27). Hodie neque aulae principes, 
neque ipsi cupedivorae, congrum magni faciunt: soli Hispani, Ro- 
manae urbis inquilini, eum in summo honore habere videntur (P. 
Joviusy c. 30). 

II Gongoro e assai buono quando si piglia nella sua sta- 
gione, laqual comincia da Decembre, e dura per tutto Marzo {B. 
Cappi). Dorsum lateraque cinerea; abdomen album; pinnae caeru- 
lescentes margine nigricante. Linea later, subelevata, recta; sub 
ea punctorum ordo albidorum. Tentacula 2 rostri brevissima, 
obtusa; labia crassa, pulposa; dentes serrati, minimi; iris oculi 
argentea; pin. pect. radiis circ. 13; membr. branch. 7 tantum. 
P. d. (caudali analiq unita) infinitis. In Southampton, Oct. 9. 
observavi (45 inches long, 10 round, weighed 6-J lbs.) Vitae tenax, 
ut anguilla; caro albissima, oculis grata, soiida, sed insulsior, et 
aristis scatens innumeris. [p. ^^5.] 

Gadus morhua 
T%e Cod, Keling, or Melwell 

Ex hepatibus asellorum majorum fit oleum, quod lucernis aliis- 

(45 ) 



THE POET GRAY 

que usibus mechanicis inservit, praesertim in Islandia. Honim 
piscium ova saliuntur, condiuntur, et in usu sunt, vice Caveare 
et Botargo: Dani, Galli, et Batavi deferunt (Fr. Resare^ Rave, 
Rogues) ab Islandia magnam quantitatem hujusmodi ovorum ad 
impascendas piscinas et lacus, et ad saginandos pisces fluviatiles. 
{Dr. Robinson, ap. Willughhy, append, pag. 27.) Vesica Mor- 
huae natatoria, crassa, glutinosa, dorso annexa, quam cod-sounds 
dicimus, (Norw. Sundemaver) ob suavitatem saporis maxime ex- 
petitur. Huic pisci variis modis exsiccato aut salito innititur 
pars magna commercii nostri. Aere frigido Islandiae et Norvegiae 
exsiccatus, sine sale, stoch-Jisch vocatur, cum sale autem klip-Jisch. 
Ubique in nostro oceano capitur, sed in Americano infinita copia 
circa insulam Newfoundland a Februarii mensis initio per aesta- 
tem integram: in Norvegia etiam copiosissimus, cum praecedente, 
sed aestate. [p. 262.] 

CONUS SCORPIUS 

The Father Lasher 
PiscicuLUM mihi ad Hartlepool allatum describo, quern C. Scor- 
pium puto, licet colore variantem. Thoracicus erat. D: 9, 15. 
P: 15. V:acuminatae,albidae,4. A:12.C:circ: 12. Memb. branch.5. 
Longit. unc. 1-f .Nigricabat totus, abdomine medio albido. Pinnae 
(ventralibus exceptis) omnes fusco maculosae. Caput magnum: 
oculi in vertice depresso approximati; inter hos spinae 2 retror- 

(46) 



AS A NATURALIST 

sum spectantes: opercula utrinq spinis 4. Sulcus longitud. a fronte 
ad pinnam dorsi ductus. Maxillae subaequales denticulis scabrae. 
Corpus antice tumens, teretiusculum : a pectore postice compres- 
sum, attenuatum. [p. 366.] 

Pledronectes solea 
The Sole 

Maxima in Belgicis Oceani litoribus; Romae pedalem longitudi- 
nem raro superat; in lautioribus conviviis, in summa etiam caete- 
rorum piscium copia, magnam obtinet claritatem (P. Jov. c. 26). 
Semper Angliae mensis et Galliae accepta. Nulli cedit suavitate et 
salubritate; semper charo constat, quamvis frequentissima. Tes- 
taceis vescitur, quorum testas menstruo quodam in visceribus 
dissolvit {Phil. Trans. 17 ^^y p. 37. ColUnson). Oculi magis inter 
se distantes quam in congeneribus; filamenta pilos imitantia, 
alba, innumera, in sinistra capitis parte; pinna caudae subrotun- 
data; ventral es minimae, exiles; pectoralis sinistra alba, dextra 
dimidio nigra (ArtecL); os arcuatum. [p. 270.] 

Gasterosteus aculeatus 
The Stickleback, or Bonstickle 

Spinas pro lubitu arrigit vel deprimit ( Will. p. 34-1 ). Anterior cor- 
poris pars loricata tegmine osseo; pro pinnis ventralibus laminae 
duae osseae triangulares, singulae aculeo valido armatae {ibid.). Ri- 

vuli & piscinae fere omnes hoc pisce scatent, qui aliorum piscium 

(47) 



THE POET GRAY 

ova & pisciculos recens natos avidissime vorat, majores etiam 
audacissime persequitur, & aculeis vulnerat. Mense Maio parit 
{Phil. Trans. 174-7, p. 4'^4-)- In fluvio Witham agri Lincolniensis 
juxta Boston oppidum copia infinita capiuntur, unde incolae mag- 
nam olei vim extrahunt (Act. Anglic. 1696, p. o^S). In mari ad 
Hartlepool frequens, ubi Sea-Hass vocatur; specie (ut credo) non 
diversus, cauda utrinq carinata, pinna c. bifurca; membrana p. v. 
sanguined, [p. 295.] 

Trigla cuculus 
The Red Gurnard 

A NOSTRis inter lautos pisces habetur: captus spinas erigit et 
sonitum curre edit, unde nomen ( Will. pag. 281 ). In nostro speci- 
mine oris ambitus, opercula subtus, pinnae ventrales, analis, cau- 
dalis, pectoraliumque basis, rubrae; latera etiam media rubescunt: 
caput supra totum, dorsumque cinereo-virescunt; venter albus; la- 
bium superius apice emarginatum, lobis rotundatis, asperis. Super- 
cilia spinosa; pone branchiarum opercula utrinque spina: pinnae 
dorsales (quarum Ima radiis spinosis) in sulco spinis utrinq. mar- 
ginato recumbunt; linea lateralis recta, fusca. Corpus teretius- 
culum, postice attenuatum; caput magnum, fronte depressa. In 
Southampton observavi die secundo Octobris. Caro alba, solida, 
sapidissima; pinnae pectoris maxim ae, rotundatae, intus cinereo- 
virescentes, margine pulchre caeruleo; os magnum, labiis, palato, 

( 48 ) 



AS A NATURALIST 

linguaque scabris; radiis osseis arcuatis branchiorum intus obtuse 
dentatis; pinna caudae sub-bifida (ibid.). [p. 301.] 

Clupea alosa 
The Shad, or Mother of Herrings 

Sabrinam, fluvium nostrum, Martio & Aprili mense ascendunt 
pingues & ovis prsegnantes, Maio macilentas & effcetas ad mare 
redeunt ( Will. p. 227). Itali pro magnitudine piscis variis no- 
minibus appelant. Romae pulparum mollitie & sapore primo vere 
aestimantur, sed spinulae frequentes inter edendum molestae sua- 
vitatis gratiam minuunt (P. Jovius, c. 37); gravi pretio ibi ve- 
nundatur. In Pado etiam, Arno, Liri, Vulturno, &c. capitur. 
At Rome it comes into season in February, and lasts all May; 
it must be dressed the day it is caught (Bart. Cappi). Degli 
Agoni salati, che si pigliano in gran copia nel lago di Como, ne 
son portati per tutta Italia (B. Scapp'i.f. 129). The Irish call it 
a Pollan. In Southampton Octob: ineunte observavi. Squamae 
magnae aurato-argenteae : dorsum pulchre caeinileo-virescens. Li- 
tura, maculaeq ovatae 4 s. 5. utrinq nigricantes. Cauda bifurca; 
linea later, recta. [p. 318.] 

Clupea encrasicolus 
The Anchovy 

Encrasicholi inveniuntur in mari Britannico, praesertim vero 
circa litora Cambro-britanniae, ubi numerosissime capiuntur, prae- 

( 49 ) 



THE POET GRAY 

parantur, & hue illuc transmittuntur sub falso nomine Shads. 
Italicis vix inferiores sunt (Collins^ de sale ^ piscaturd, p. 101 ). 
In litore Cataloniae & Provinciae magnis gregibus natantes ab 
initio Decembris ad Martium medium noctu accensis facibus ca- 
piuntur {Encyclop.). Corpus teretiusculum, pellucens; rictus am- 
plus; Cauda forcipata; squamae deciduae. \^p. 318.] 

Cyprinus carasius 
The Crucian^ or Crusoe (in Siiff'olJc) 

In piscinis SufFolcife invenitur. Sapore Cypr, Carpioni longe in- 
ferior, Aprili optimus, Maio parit. Caro subflava & viscosa. Ad 
Thornham sub fine Septembris observavi. D. 19, P. 13, V. 9, A. 
7 vel 8, C. 19. Vertex & dorsum lividum : abdomen & latera sub- 
aurata. Pinnae livido-sanguineae. Iris subaurata nubeculis fuscis. 
Squamae magnae imbricatae. Linea lateralis subarcuata, ventri pa- 
rallela. Longit. 10 unc. ^, latit. 4 unc. Radius 2dus pinn. dorsi 
aniq postice duplici serie aculeatus. A Lernaea Cyprinacea vexa- 
tur, quam C. Tinea repurgare ereditur (S.N. ed. 12). [/>. 321.] 

Cyprinus auratus 
The China Gold and Silver Fish 

PisciUM puleherrimus, e China primum in insulam S. Helenae 

deinde in Angliam A.D. 1728 invectus in vivariis nostris facile 

propagatur. Fine Aprilis Maioq mense parit. Colore & magni- 

tudine multum variat, apud nos saepe pedalis, pinnaq caudae 

(50) 



AS A NATURALIST 

simplici. Secundo aetatis anno fulgorem acquirit : sunt tamen qui 
semper nigricant. Caro sapore C. Carpionem superare dicitur, 
elixa aut frixa editur. (Baster) narium tubuli extantes. Pinna dor- 
salis caudalisq variant: caeterae omnes apice rotundatae (Edw.). 
Fine Aprilis Majoq mense prurit, ventrem cum mare collidens. 
Circa Idus Junias pulli apparent nigricantes. Micis panis, insec- 
tisq vescuntur. Pinnis mire variant: dorsum nunc laeve omnino 
apterygium; nunc tuberculis adiposis pinnarum vice; nunc pinna 
magna rad. 18 vel 20; nunc parva rad. 3 vel 5; nunc pinnis 2, 
rad. 8, 5. Pinna ani nunc gemina; saepe simplex, rad. 9. Pinna 
caudae nunc simplex, rad. 18; nunc gemina, basi superius coalita. 
Maxillae (ore clauso) sequales. Linea lateralis curva dorso pro- 
pior. Oculi prominentes, iride angustissima (Baster. I.e.). Pinnae 
ani radius 2dus. postice serratus (S.N. ed. 12), \^p. 322.] 

Cyprinus argenteus 
TTie White Bait 

Maxilla inferiore longiore, iridibus argenteis. Habitat in mari 
Angliae, flumina subiens. Thamesin aestate ad Blackwall & Wool- 
wich usque magna copia ascendit. 

Biuncialis, Eperlano simillimus : sed membrana branch, radiis 3 
tantum; pinna dorsalis unica. Nee odorem violae habet. Farina 
respersus, frixusq editur, tenerrimus, nee aristae ullae percipi pos- 
sunt. Junio mense gustavi. \^p. 323.] 

(51 ) 



THE POET GRAY 

Cyprinus orsus 
The red-hacked Chub, Riid, or Fin-scale 

In fluvio Cherwell Oxoniae notus, & in lacubus agri Lincoln. & 
Eboracensis. Aprili mense parit, semper fere tempestivus, men- 
sisq acceptus ( Will. p. 253). De pisce hoc, quem Rudd vel Fi7i- 
scale vocamus, dubito. Corpore est maxime compresso, ut in C. 
Brama, dorso cultrato. Pinna D. rad. circiter 18, pectorales sub- 
rotundatae rad. 13, ventr. 9 s. 10, analis 7 tantum, quorum 
primus robustior & postice serratus. Cauda bifida rad. circ. 20. 
In operculo branch : utroq seriem punctorum 13 juxta margines 
numeravi; inter rostrum autem oculosq utrinq 3. Linea later, 
rectiuscula, in medio corpore subdescendens. Rostrum obtusius- 
culum, rictus non magnus. Specimen a fl. Cherwell allatum apud 
D. Barrington observavi. 

Back red, sides yellow-brown, scarlet spot on the gills, belly 
white, belly-fins and tail reddish, broad sides. The flesh is red, 
dry, short & wholsome. \^p. 3^4-] 



(52) 






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AS A NATURALIST 

VOLUME I. PART 2. 
INSECTA 
[On a Jly-leqf of this second part of the first volume Gray has 
written thejblloiving: — ] 

TERMINI ARTIS 

Antennce. Organa mobilia insectorum, ad oculos posita. 

SetaceWy quae extrorsum tenuiores. 

Filiformes, quibus eadera fere totius est crassities, 

MoniliformeSy quae ex pluribus compositae sunt globulis, fa- 
ciemq praebent monilis. 

Clavatw, quae extrorsum crassiores. 

Capitatce, apicem globulo terminantes. 

Fissiles, cum clava in lamellas longitudinaliter se dividit. 

PerfoliatcBf cum verticillatim lamellae transversales apparent. 

Pectinatce, quorum unum latus pilis instruitur in formam 
pectinis. 

Barhatos, quae pilis sine ordine iiisis. 
Alee PrimoreSy (in papilionibus) sunt majores, seu anteriores. 

" Secundariw, posteriores. 
Larva, vermiculus e semine insecti natus, antequam subierit me- 

tamorphosin. 
Pupa, larva quum primam metamorphosin subierit, antequam 

in perfectum statum pervenerit. 

( 53 ) 



THE POET GRAY 

Coleoptera, insecta, quorum alae elytris tectae sunt. 

Hemiptera, insecta, quorum alae non ex toto, sed ex parte, tectae 

sunt elytris. 
Gymnoptera, insecta elytris destituta. 
Elytron, ala superior cornea, sive Crustacea, quae alas inferiores 

tenuiores tegit. 
Scutellum, crusta parva inter elytrorum aut alarum paria ad 

basin thoracis collocata, quasi thoracis apex a tergo. 
Sutura, rima qua coeunt elytra, vel cum thorace, vel inter se in- 

vicem. 
Palpi, quasi antennulae, ad os collocati. 
Halteres, capitella petiolata sub alis Dipterorum. 
EUnguis, OS nullum, unde insectum edere nequit. 
Spirilinguis, os lingua spirali simplici, vel duplici. 
Tetrapus, 4 pedes unguiculati, licet saepe duo alii absque ungui- 

bus. 
[The Jbllowing list of terms of colour is written on the leaf next 
qfier that on which are the Termini Artis.^ 

1. Testaceus, colour of a tile, or brick -dust. 

2. Griseus, a mixture of brown and red, or red-hasel. 

3. Ritfus, same, more heightened with red. 

4. JEneus, copper-colour'd, with the reddish lustre of that metal. 

5. Ferrugineus, of a reddish-yellow, like the rust of iron. 

6. Ater, of a deep and perfect black. 

( 54 ) 



AS A NATURALIST 

7. Pallidus, a pale sordid flesh-colour, with a tint of yellow. 

8. Sericeus, with a shining gloss, like silk-stuffs. 

9. Holosericeus, with a pile, like velvet. 

10. Auratus, with a golden gloss. 

11. PiceuSj black with an eye of red. 

12. Violaceus, deep blew-purple, or indigo. 

13. Atro-ccerulescens, shining black with an eye of blew. 

14. FulvuSy bright orange-tawney. 

15. Cinereus, of a sordid yellowish-brown, or dark-olive. 

16. Niger, a dull and bro^vnish black. 

17. Castaneus, a deep chesnut colour. 
IS. [A line obliterated.] 

19. Fuscus, dark brown. 

20. Cyaneus, deep-blew, like polish'd steel neal'd in the fire. 

21. CarjLus, grey. 

22. Luteus, saffron-yellow. 

23. Purpureus, scarlet. 



(55) 



THE POET GRAY 

[The following verses descriptive of the Orders and Genera of 
Insects are on the inserted leaves opposite the characters of the 
Orders and Genera as given hy Linnceus. They are a mere piece 
of ingenious trifling, but they illustrate Gray''s easy mastery of 
Latin versification. They were printed hy Mathias in his Works 
of Gray, 18U, vol. ii.p. 570.] 

I. COLEOPTERA 

Alas lorica tectas Coleoptera jactant. 

Antennis Clavatis 
Serra pedum prodit Scarabaeum et fissile comu. 
Dermesti antennae circum ambit lamina caulem, 
Qui caput incurvum timidus sub corpore celat. 
In pectus retrahens caput abdit claviger Hister. 
Occiput Attelabi in posticum vergit acumen. 
Curculio ingenti protendit cornua rostro. 
Silpha leves peltae atque elytrorum exporrigit oras. 
Truncus apex clavae, atque antennula Coccionellae. 

Antennis Filiformihus 
Cassida sub clypei totam se margine condit. 
Chrys'mela inflexa loricse stringitur ora. 
Gibba caput Meloe incurvat, thorace rotundo. 
Oblongus frontem et tenues clypei exerit oras 
(56) 



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AS A NATURALIST 

Tenebrio. Abdomen Mordellae lamina vestit. 

Curta elytra ostentat Staphylis, caudamque recurvam. 

Antennis Setaceis 
Tubere cervicis valet, antennisque Cerambyx. 
Pectore Leptura est tereti, corpusque coarctat. 
Flexile Cantharidis tegmen, laterumque papillae. 
Ast Elater resilit sterni mucrone supinus. 
Maxilla exerta est, oculoque Cicindela grandi. 
Bupresti antennae graciles, cervice retracta. 
Nee Dytiscus iners setosa remige planta. 
Effigiem cordis Carabus dat pectore trunco. 
Necydalis curto ex elytro nudam explicat alam. 
Curtum, at Forficulae tegit hanc, cum forcipe caudae. 
Depressum Blattae corpus, venterque bicornis. 
Dente vorax Gryllus deflexis saltitat alls. 

II. Hemiptera 
DiMiDiAM rostrata gerunt Hemiptera crustam. 
Fcemina serpit humi interdum: volat aethere conjux. 

Rostro Nepa rapax pollet, chelisque. Cicada 
Fastigio alarum et rostrato pectore saltat. 
Tela Cimex inflexa gerit, cruce complicat alas. 
Notonecta crucem quoque fert, remosque pedales; 

( 57) 



THE POET GRAY 

Cornua Aphis caudae et rostrum: saepe erigit alas; 
Deprimit has Chermes, dum saltat, pectore gibbo. 
Coccus iners caudae setas, voHtante marito; 
Thrips alas angusta gerit, caudamque recurvam. 

III. Lepidoptera 

Squamam alae, linguae spirara Lepidoptera jactant. 

Papilio clavam et squamosas subrigit alas. 
Prismaticas Sphinx antennas, medioque tumentes; 
At conicas gravis extendit sub nocte Phalaena. 

IV. Neuroptera 

Rete alae nudum, atque hamos Neuroptera caudae. 

Dente alisque potens, secat aethera longa Libella. 
Cauda setigera, erectis stat Ephemera pennis. 
Phryganea elinguis rugosas deprimit alas; 
Hemerinusque bidens: planas tamen explicat ille. 
Et rostro longo et cauda Panorpa minatur. 
Raphidia extento coUo setam trahit unam. 

V. Hymenoptera 

At vitreas alas, jaculumque Hymenoptera caudae, 
Foemineo data tela gregi, maribusque negata. 

Telum abdit spirale Cynips, morsuque minatur. 

(58) 







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AS A NATURALIST 

Maxillas Tenthredo movet, serramque bivalvem; 
Ichneumon gracili triplex abdomine telum. 
Haurit Apis lingua incurva, quod vindicat ense. 
Sphex alam expandit laevem, gladiumque recondit. 
Alae ruga notat Vespam, caudaeque venenum ; 
Squamula Formicam tergi, telumque pedestrem, 
Dum minor alata volitat cum conjuge conjux. 
Mutilla impennis, sed cauda spicula vibrat. 

VI. DiPTERA 

DiPTERA sub geminis alls se pondere librant. 

Os Oestro nullum est, caudaque timetur inermi. 
Longa caput Tipula est, labiisque et praedita palpis. 
Palpis Musca caret, retrahitque proboscida labris; 
Qua Tabanus gaudet pariter, palpis sub acutis. 
Os Culicis molli e pharetra sua spicula vibrat; 
Rostrum Empis durum et longum sub pectore curvat; 
Porrigit articuli de cardine noxia Conops; 
Porrigit (at rectum et conicum) sitibundus Asilus; 
Longum et Bombylius, qui sugit mella volando. 
Unguibus Hippobosca valet; vibrat breve telum. 

VII. Aptera 
Aptera se pedibus pennarum nescia jactant. 

( 59) 



THE POET GRAY 

CiCINDELA CAMPESTRIS 

Mensa Aprili medio in loco arenoso collium Hogmagog prope 
Cantabrigiam cepi, Maio etiam in pratis. Labium superius, & 
maxillarum bases flavescunt; denies, palpi, infimiq antennarum 
articuli auro resplendent; harum summi tomentosi, opaci; oculi 
grandes nigricant; abdomen a tergo sub alis smaragdo viridius 
lucet; punctis albidis aliquando caret. 

Aureus nitor ex toto corpore radiat. Pedes longissimi {F. Suec). 
Majuscula inter coleopteros, in borealibus Angliae montosis ad 
Calendas Junias admodum frequens, erucas (etiam hirsutas) saltu 
& volatu venatur, devoratq {Lister). Larva 6-pus, albida, capite 
fusco. Foveam cylindricam in arena excavat, cujus in osteo vigi- 
lat, ut insecta praetereuntia captet, devoretq {Ins. Paris, v. l^pp. 
IJfiet 15 4-). Coleopterorum nostratium forte pulcherrima est. Ab- 
domen glabrum, aureo-violaceum ; corpus subtus viridi-auratum, 
lateribus cupro nitentibus; elytra plana, viridi-sericea, punctis 
eminentibus confertis, auratis, aspersa; maculae Iseves albo-fla- 
vescunt; margines aurei; femora asneo-purpurea, supra pilis flavis 
ciliata; thorax angustus, rugosus, viridi-auratus, marginibus pur- 
pureo-auratis; ad femorum basin corpus ovale durum; alas fuscae. 
Vicinia Londini vera primo non infrequens. [p. 4-07.] 

CiMEX GOTHICUS 

NosTER, quern in Solidagine cepi Julio mense medio, descriptioni 

(60) 



AS A NATURALIST 

Linnaei non in omnibus convenit: sed Scopoli C. Gothicus (No. 
381) proculdubio idem est. Corpus nigrum est, glaberrimum : tho- 
rax convexus, niger; elytra ferruginea versus marginem nigrican- 
tia, ubique punctata (uti & thorax), juxta apicem corii macula 
luteorubra, ipso tamen apice nigro: membrana elytri nigricans, 
macula in margine baseos albida; scutellum thoraci concolor; 
alae nigricantes. Caput inter antennas lagvissimum, postice ferru- 
gineum. antennae, corporis fere longitudine, articulis 4, quorum 
infimi 2 crassi, subvillosi, nigri: 2dus longissimus, 4tus brevis- 
simus. Femora nigra e apice, tibiisq mediis ferrugineis. Variat 
ely tris, thorace, scutello, flavescentibus : alls inferioribus hyalinis, 
radiantibus. [p. 4-4-'^'] 

Coccus CACTI 

The Cochineal 
CoMMERCii Hispanici pars maxima, regni Mexicani thesaurus, 
auro atq argento aequiparandus. Quotannis in Europam impor- 
tantur lb circiter 880,000. quae aestimantur 15,050,690 Libr. Fr. 
monetae. Servari potest detrimento nullo annis centum (Reaumur). 
In Georgia & Carolina australi Cacto Opuntia vescens non raro 
invenitur. Foemina adulta viciae magnitudine, rubra; thorax con- 
vexus, glaber, abdomine duplo longior; antennae breviores; artus 
intumescentia corporis inutiles evadunt, & intra rugas conduntur. 
Mas pulicis magnitudine, glaber, ruber; alis 4 niveis incumben- 

tibus sub-patentibus, basi attenuatis; antennis thorace paulo Ion- 

(61 ) 



THE POET GRAY 

gioribus; collo coarctato, capite globoso; setis caudalibus, quad- 
ruple corpore longioribus; agilissimus (Ellis). Foemina tincturam 
illam nobilem, pretiosam, suppeditat lanae sericoq aptam; non 
lino, neque gossypio; e violaceo coccineam, addita autem disso- 
lutione stanni, igneo-coccineam, coloruni omnium fulgidissimum. 
Insectum hoc sylvestre Cochenille Campetiane dicitur, domesticum 
autem Mesteqice sive Tescalla {Encyclop. Teinture). \^p. 4^7.] 

MUSCA CUPRARIA 

PuLCHERRiMA. Seta antennae fere terminalis: caput inter oculos 
nitide caeruleo-viride, uti & pectus, subtus; os album, tumidum; 
abdomen cupro rubente fulgens, subtus nigricans, depressum, ver- 
sus apicem latius; hal teres albidi; alas hyalinae macula fusca. Va- 
riat (sexu,ut videtur) capite, thorace, abdomine rubro-auratis, sive 
violaceis nitentibus: margine abdominis villoso: ano diminuto: 
alis versus apicem fuscescentibus, macula media fusca grandi: 
oculis supra brunneis, subtus viridibus. Haec major est; Musca 
Formosa (ut opinor) Scopoli, No. 910. In horto cepi, die 28 
Junii. Pedes nigricant geniculis primis pallidis. [jo. 598.^ 

ACARUS CANCROIDES 

Termete Pulsatorio victitat. Cutem hominum capite penetrans, 

unde papulae cum dolore hoiTendo. Motu retrogrado utitur {F. 

Suec). In cistula lignea inter Hymenopterorum cadavera ambu- 

lantem die l™o Julii observavi; motu directo tardiuscule progre- 

(62) 



AS A NATURALIST 

diebatur, manibus chelatis (corpore longioribus) porrectis, expan- 
sis, vibratisq viam explorans, praedae intentus. Totus ferrugineus 
est: abdomen a tergo lineis transversis distinctum, quas, inter- 
secat medias linea una pallidior longitudinalis : subtus in medio 
ventre macula pallescens. [p. 616.'\ 

Phalangium opilio 

The Shepherd-Spider y or Carter^ or Long-legs, 

or Harvest-Spider 

Pedibus longissimis, tenuissimis; post frontem verrucula, cujus 
apex in duplicem cristam spinularum abit; corpus subcrustaceum 
incisura nulla; maribus cornicula praslonga, pedes magis fusci. 
Foeminae Augusto mense gravidas. Frequens in pratis, hortisq 
{Ray) culices & muscas praedatur. Abdomen subtus segmentis 
4, s. 5; supra indivisum, spinulis sive denticulis sparsis (uti & 
thorax) asperum. In medio thorace tuberculum eminens, duplici 
spinarum serie cristatum, oculos laterales (utrinque unum) sus- 
tinet: nee plures ego, nee GeofFrceus, nee Scopolus, vidimus. In 
fronte brachia 2, corpore toto longiora (cum extendantur), ex 
unico articulo prseter basin constantia, apice acuto, manus sive 
chelas inflexas, longissimas, teretes, subventricosas sustinente pol- 
lice mobili, digito fixo, omnino ut in Cancris plerisque: digiti 
subaequales apice nigri; palpi 2 pediformes, articulis 5, ut in 
Araneis. Igitur a Cancris distinguitur palpis pediformibus^ oculis 

(63) 



THE POET GRAY 

in tuberculo thoracis sitis, abdomine siihglohoso, non infleoco; ab 
Araneis oculis ^, manibusq chelatis. \^p. 618.^ 

Aranea 
The Spider 

[Thejirst sentence of the following passage is from Linnceus, the 
rest is added by Gray.] 

Aranea fila ducunt, pleraeque telas struunt, insectis pascuntur 
rapinaque vivunt; Penes in palpis gerunt. Solitariae, vigiles, me- 
ditabundae, famelicae, exosse, faecunditate summa, moribus di- 
versae. 1. Textrices^ quae rete horizontale texunt. 2. Jucupes, quae 
perpendiculare. 3. Captivce^ quae in foliis convolutis, florum caly- 
cibus, &c. se includunt. 4. Erraticce, quae praedam discurrendo 
quaerunt. 5. Geometrce, pedibus anticis extensis. 6. Vibrantes, sa- 
lientes, coarctatae. 7. Laterigradce, incessu etiam laterali. {Scopo- 
lus,p.393.) 

VERMES. MOLLUSC A 

ASTERIAS OPTIURA 

The Sea-Scorpion of Barbadoes 
Lege — stella orbiculatd, squamosa (F, Siiec). Ad Hartlepool 
non infrequens a piscatoribus in pelago capitur, dum escas in 
hamo, ut No. 2, arrodit, in littore nunquam inveni. Corpus par- 
vum, planum, figura subinde mutabili, (nunc enim orbiculatum, 
nunc pentagonum, nunc 5-lobum) tactu asperum: squamas ne 

( 64) 



AS A NATURALIST 

lente quidem distinguo, sed tubercula potius minutissima, con- 
ferta: color sanguineus centre lutescente. Radii concolores 5,longi, 
aculeorum ordinibus 6 utrinq ciliati; aculei pallide flavescentes, 
duriusculi, obtusi; e sulco longitudinali sub radiis singulis ten- 
tacula innumera vivens exserit, ut No. 2, Radii omnes e vertebris 
osseis miro artificio junctis compositi, quos motu serpentine in 
omnem partem torquet, & moriens saepe ipsa frangit, abjicitq, 
ut Cancer chelas. [p. 662. \ 

VERMES. TESTACEA 

OsTREA MAXIMA 

The Scallop 
OsTRE^ eduli proximas deliciae. In freto juxta Portland & alibi 
in illo mari piscantur {Lister). Valvae separatae ad Hartlepool ali- 
quando ejiciuntur, radiis circiter 20 vel 22. \^p. 696.^ 

OsTREA EDULIS 

The Oyster 
L'OsTRiCA in Corsica, nelle spiaggie d'Ancona e in quelle di Chi- 
ozza e molto conosciuta, perche in questi due mari n'e maggior 
copia che in altri luoghi. In Venetia se ne trovano quasi tutto 
Tanno (5. Scappi). Mense Junio prsegnans ovulis, initio Au- 
gusti vivos foetus parit: sine coitu genus propagat {Baster. Sub- 
sec. 1, p. 31 ). Ostrea recens nata, tenella, celerrime natat, undu- 

(65 ) 



THE POET GRAY 

latoq motu branchiarum gaudet, quas tunc parum e testa exse- 
rere potest: adulta in fundo maris quiescere cogitur {id. t. ^, 
I. 3, p. 1j^6). Maxima inter Scotiae rupes expiscatur; in Essexia 
& Cantio mediocris, sed sapore omnium delicatissimo, in fossis 
alveisq maritimis pinguefacta: in alto mari salsior, macriorq. 

[p. 699.] 

Turbo littoreus 
The Whelk or Periwinkle 

In locis scopulosis frequentissimus, Junio mense. Coit in sicco. 
A Belgis editur, gustu non insuavi {Lister). Linguam habet ex- 
erendam, spiralem, apice in setas divisam, fere ut in Lepade 
Balano {Busier. Subsec. I. 3, p. 111). In Scotia etiam frequens 
editur. Londini quoq in viis coctus puerulis vendi solet. Striae 
(in majoribus saltern) non eminent, sed fasciae potius sunt an- 
gustae, quae spiram sequuntur. Margo anfractuum majorum ca- 
riosus: suturae etiam aliquot transversae, subeminentes, irregu- 
lares. Color variat, plerumq canescens fasciolis nigricantibus; 
aliquando fulvus; intus albus. [^. 761.] 

Patella pellucida 
Patella forte eadem, quam semel ad Hartlepool inveni. Li- 
vida erat, obovata, gibba, supra subopaca : vertex laevis, margin! 
postico propior, subrecurvus, apice tamen non libero, nee in 
mucronem assurgente: ex hoc lineae 4 cserulescentes antrorsum 

( 66) 




S^6". ( (^s^^-,-,/:>/.:^yjJ 






^-r-O^iJ-- 



AS A NATURALIST 

ducuntur, subinde interruptas: utrinq autem lineolae similes 8, 
s. 10 (testa luci apposita) pellucent: subtus tota caeruleo-nitens 
pro situ variabilis; margine dilatato planiusculo, in sinum 
postice retuso, labiato. Diametrum longius, 10 lin. |. Vidi etiam 
minorem, membranaceam, absque vertice, pallidam, radiis 4 tan- 
tum caeruleis. An varietas? [p. 783.] 



A Limited Edition of five hundred copies of this book was printed 
on hand-made paper, by D. B. Updike, The Merrymount Press, 
Boston, November, 1903. This is copy N^* .5^00. 



DEC 16 1303 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS "l 



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014 151 578 



